Who: Dr. Edith Mitchell
New role: President of the National Medical Association, which represents African-American physicians and has more than 30,000 members.
Background: Mitchell is a clinical professor of oncology and leads the gastrointestinal oncology program at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia. She's also associate director for diversity programs and director of the school's Center to Eliminate Cancer Disparities.
Breaking down health disparities: Disparities “are well-recognized in many areas of medicine, including cardiology, diabetes and cancer,” Mitchell said, adding that the NMA is focused on “addressing and eliminating the barriers that contribute to those disparities so that there is healthcare equity in this country.”
Serving needy communities post-Obamacare: “Many minority physicians, especially African-Americans, practice where a significant portion of their patients are either minorities or are socio-economically underserved. Many had little access to insurance prior to the Affordable Care Act, so addressing (disparities) is important in terms of healthcare delivery in the neighborhoods.”